As Spitting Image observed in 1986 I've met the King of China and a working Yorkshire miner - but I've never met a nice South African! and yet as proof that opinions and attitudes most certainly do change with the passing of time today courtesy of Paul Moulton and Isle of Man TV we see evidence that John Wannenburgh is in fact a very nice South African who is standing in Douglas North against existing COMIN members David Ashford and Ralph Peake [as well as some other local crackpot].
Self-evident gourmand Mr Wannenburgh is currently a self employed businessmen who runs the IOM Sporting & Dining Club. For those unfamiliar with the Sporting & Dining Club it is a club where gentlemen of a certain age get together to eat and drink and then in a drunken stupor buy £500 Sharpie-autographed football shirts from their nineteen-eighties Match of the Day hero's in order to help fund their retirement. As a successful local businessman though, especially one from a sector that has been hugely impacted by our COVID-19 response, Mr Wannenburgh talks a lot of sense about what needs to be done by government in the next five years.
Find the full Isle of Man TV interview of Mr Wannenburgh here:
To be honest we were a bit non-plussed by Wannenburgh's initial two-minutes with Manx Radio piece and therefore we do recommend catching this additional interview as it puts a much better perspective on Mr Wannenburgh's views and policies.
To summarise Mr Wannenburgh's interview:
He is many things to many people and a lot else!
He loves the IOM & believes he owes the IOM as its been good to him
He wants others to enjoy the environment that we have in the IOM
If we don't fix the economy little else matters!
He'd give the last government an A* .. but only at spending money!
We don't need to waste any more money & we all know the failed projects involved!
Some businesses haven't had adequate COVID-19 support
On COVID-19 we closed down too late and opened up too early
Willaston is a friendly & dynamic place (did he go there?)
There are issues on council house refurbishment & on the widening of Tromode Road
We need to keep our young people & widen the economy (cannabis licensing etc)
He hopes that he is a businessmen!
He's not sure where he might fit in yet in Tynwald
Government payroll & headcount is a dereliction of duty. They've lied to the public!
He wants to see a minimum wage rise
Employed people are still shopping at the Foodbank so hardship exists
He would support no existing COMIN member for Chief Minister
The next Chief Minister should be a woman!
The important key communities are the Filipinos, the Poles and the South Africans
We need to have a pioneer spirit like the Victorians
If he doesn't get in he was woolly on whether he would stand again [he won't]
All in all Mr Wannenburgh comes across as a likeable and knowledgeable candidate worthy of anyone's vote as his beliefs and policies seem to be eminently simple and sensible. Although whether that's enough to fend off Douglas North's old ladies favourite David Ashy Ashford the bumbling Bela Lugosi of Berrywoods is anyone's guess. It will be a three horse race though what with Kevin Oliphant-Smith being literally bonkers so we wish Mr Wannenburgh well for the 23rd September.
Pictured: John Wannenburgh 2021 General Election candidate for Douglas North:
